Appparatus for filling bottles or the like



Aug. 26', 1969 1 H. WOLF 3,463,203

APPARATUS FOR FILLING BOTTLES OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 27, 1966 .7N VEN TOR HERNAN/V WULF his ATTORNEY )MM f Wahn United States Patent O 3,463,203 APPPARATUS FOR FILLING BOTTLES OR THE LIKE Hermann Wolf, Schriesheim, Germany, assigner to Holstein & Kappert, Maschinenfabrik Phnix GmbH, Dortmund, Germany Filed Dec. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 604,752 `Claims priority, application Germany, Dec. 29, 1965,

Int. Cl. B651) .i1/02, 3/04, 1/04 U.S. Cl. 141-39 12 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Cross-reference to related application A similar structure is disclosed in the copending application Ser. No. 604,971 filed by me on Dec. 27, 1966 for Bottle Filling Apparatus.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to apparatus -for filling open-ended containers with liquids, particularly for filling bottles with beer or other types of carbonated beverages. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in an automatic bottle lling machine wherein the containers to be lled are conveyed past a series of filling heads and are lifted into liquid-receiving engagement with such filling heads.

It is an important object of the invention to provide an automatic filling apparatus wherein the filling of successive bottles or like containers can be carried out at high speed and wherein the length of intervals required for completion of a filling cycle may be selected and varied as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel filling head which may be utilized in automatic bottle filling apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide a filling head which can fill each successive container to the same level to avoid overfilling or short fills.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel system of gasand liquid-flow regulating valves which may be utilized in the above-outlined filing head.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide a novel liquid-flow regulating valve which may be utilized in the improved filling head Still another object of the invention is to provide a filling head which can be installed in or removed from an automatic bottle filling apparatus independently of other filling heads.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a filling head which can fill bottles without any wasting of compressed gas.

Summary of the invention The invention is embodied in an apparatus for filling bottles or like open-ended containers, particularly for filling bottles with beer o-r other carbonated beverages. The apparatus comprises a tank having a liquid-containing lower portion and a gas-filled upper portion, a gas-filled Patented Aug. 26, 1969 ICC reservoir wherein the gas pressure is less than in the upper portion of the tank (the difference between such gas pressures can be varied to determine the length of the filling cycle), a -filling head having an enclosed chamber provided with an inlet and an outlet respectively located above and below the liquid level in the lower portion of the chamber so that the lower part of the chamber is normally filled with liquid and its upper part constitutes a plenum chamber, a siphon connecting the inlet of the chamber with the tank, a nozzle provided at the lower end of the outlet and connectable with the open end of a container which is to be filled with liquid, first and second valved conduits respectively connecting the container with the upper portion of the tank and with the reservoir, first valve means for controlling the fiow of liquid from the chamber of the filling head through the outlet, a duct provided in the first valve means and connecting the interior of the container with the plenum chamber above the liquid level in the chamber of the filling head, second valve means provided in the duct to regulate the yfiow of gas between the plenum chamber and the container, and actuating means for effecting opening and closing of the valve means in a predetermined sequence so that the filling cycle includes a so-called counterpressure stage, several filling stages, and a so-called snifting stage.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved filling apparatus itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Short description of the drawing The single figure of the drawing illustrates a portion of a filling apparatus with one of its filling heads shown in central vertical section.

Description of the preferred embodiments The drawing illustrates a portion of an apparatus which is used for filling bottles 21 or similar open-ended containers with beer or other carbonated beverages. The apparatus comprises a battery of annularly distributed self-contained filling heads having fully enclosed charnbers 2 which are filled with liquid to a level A. The filling head 1' which is shown in section is mounted on a carrier or support 53 and is detachable therefrom independently of the other filling head or heads. A second filling head 1 is indicated by a broken line behind the lling head 1.

The apparatus further comprises a relatively large tank 50 whose lower portion contains a substantial supply of carbonated liquid extending to a level B and whose upper portion is filled with compressed gas, preferably carbon dioxide or another inert gas'. A Siphon 6 connects the tank 50 with an inlet 7 of the filling head 1, and it will be noted that the inlet 7 is located above the normal liquid level A in the chamber 2. The lower part of the chamber 2 is normally filled with liquid and the upper part of this chamber normally contains a supply of compressed gas whose pressure is identical with gas pressure in the upper portion of the tank 50.

The filling head 1 is provided with a vertically downwardly extending outlet 5 which is located below the normal liquid level A in the chamber 2 and whose lower end is defined by a nozzle 55 which can be placed into sealing engagement with a container 21, and more particularly with a bell-shaped centering member 23 of the filling head 1. The centering member 23` is movable up and down, i.e., toward and away from the nozzle 55 and has an annular gasket 56 of elastic material which prevents uncontrolled escape of fluids from the interior of the container when the latter is held in the raised position shown in the drawing. The outlet 5 further accommodates a vertical filling tube 24 which extends well into the container 21 when the latter assumes the illustrated liquidreceiving position. The filling tube 24 is provided with one or more radial openings 25 located at the desired upper level of liquid in a filled container. The manner in which the provision of such radial openings 25 prevents so-called short fills or overlilling will be fully explained hereinafter.

The outflow of liquid through the outlet 5 is regulated by a first valve 4 having a hollow tubular valve member 4a reciprocable up and down to move its conically configurated elastic annular tip 4c away from and into sealing engagement with the internal surface of the filling head 1 at the upper end of the outlet 5. The valve member 4a defines a vertical duct 26 which can connect the interior of the container 21 with the plenum chamber above the liquid level A in the chamber 2. The duct 26 accommodates a second valve 27 which regulates the fiow of gas through the first valve 4. The valve 4 further comprises a resilient element, here shown as a helical eX- pansion spring 4b, which tends to move the valve member 4a upwardly, i.e., to the open position. A similar spring 27b tends to move the valve member 27a of the second valve 27 upwardly and away from sealing engagement with an annular seat in the duct 26.

The operation of the valves 4 and 27 is Icontrolled by an actuating device including a rotary horizontal shaft 9 which is mounted in the filling head 1 and has an outwardly extending portion 52 which is indexible by a suitable programming system, not shown, so that the valves 4 and 27 are caused to open and close at predetermined intervals and during predetermined stages of the filling cycle as will be fully explained hereinafter.

The shaft 9 has eccentric portions 10 and 28 which respectively engage the upper ends of the valve members 4a and 27a and can move the valve members downwardly against the opposition of springs 4b and 27b. The valves 4 and 27 will open only when the pressure in the container 21 at least equals the pressure above the liquid level A in the chamber 2 provided, of course, that the shaft 9 is held in an angular position in which the eccentric portions 10 and 28 permit upward movement of the valve members 4a and 27o under the bias of the springs 4b and 27b.

A first conduit 12 connects the upper portion of the tank 50 with the interior of the container 21. This conduit extends in part through the support 53 and thereupon into the filling head 1. A second conduit 13 connects the interior of the container 21 with a gas-filled reservoir 51 wherein the gas pressure is less than the gas pressure in the upper portion of the tank 50 and chamber 2. The gas filling the reservoir 51 is preferably the same type of inert gas which fills the upper portions of the tank 50 and chamber 2. The conduit 13 extends through the support 53 and thereupon through the filling head 1. The numeral 18 denotes a common portion of the conduits 12, 13 which accommodates a normally closed shutoff-valve 19. The operating means for the valve 19 comprises the aforementioned centering member 23 and a motion transmitting linkage 22, 22a which causes the valve 19 to open when the centering member 23 assumes the position shown in the drawing and to close when the member 23 moves downwardly to separate the open end of the container 21 from the outlet 5 of the filling head 1.

The difference between the gas pressures in tank 50 and reservoir 51 will determine the length of intervals required to fill successive containers 21 to a desired level.

The conduits 12, 13 are respectively provided with gasflow regulating valves 14, whose operation is controlled by two additional eccentric portions 16, 17 of the shaft 9. A float valve 22 is installed in an enlarged zone of the common portion 18 of the conduits 12, 13 and its function is to prevent flow of liquid from the interior of the container 21 toward the shutoff valve 19. The oat valve 20 is movable upwardly into sealing engagement with a seat 20a of the filling head 1.

The operation is as follows:

In the first step, an empty container 21 is placed into registry with the centering member 23 and is then lifted to assume the illustrated position in which the gasket 56 is compressed between the nozzle 55 and the top face at the open upper end of the container 21. The conveyor which advances empty containers to and removes filled containers from the filling station (and which comprises means for lifting and lowering the containers) is of known design and is not illustrated in the drawing.

As the centering member 23 moves upwardly toward the nozzle 55, it causes the motion transmitting linkage 22, 22a to open the shutoff valve 19. The eccentric portion 16 of the shaft 9 then maintains the valve 14 in open position (not as shown in the drawing) so that the pressure in the empty container 21 rises until it equals the pressure in the upper portion of the tank 50 and chamber 2. The valve 15 is closed by the eccentric portion 17 of the shaft 9 and the float valve 20 is open, i.e., it is spaced from the annular seat 20a. The liquid level A s flush with the lowermost portion of the inlet 7, i.e., that portion of the siphon 6 which is connected with the filling head 1 is filled with compressed gas.

The programming system then rotates the externally located portion 52 of the shaft 9 to effect opening of the valves 4 and 27. Thus, the eccentric portions 10 and 28 allow the springs 4b and 27b to expand so that the liquid can fiow from the lower portion of the chamber 2, through the outlet 5 and filling tube 24 and into the interior of the container 21. The valve 14 remains open and the valve 15 remains closed. The valves 4 and 27 will open only when the gas pressure in the interior of the container 21 equals the gas pressure in the upper portion of the chamber 2. The rate of liquid flow into the container 21 is not affected by the gas pressure, i.e., such liquid fiows solely by gravity. The inliowing liquid expels some gas which flows radially inwardly through the openings 25 and countercurrent through the filling tube 24 and duct 26 to enter the upper portion of the chamber 2.

Prior to complete evacuation of liquid from the chamber 2, the shaft 9 again changes its angular position to close the valve 14 and to open the valve 15 so that the interior of the container 21 communicates with the reservoir 51 but is sealed from the upper portion of the tank 50. The valves 4 and 27 remain open. The pressure in the interior of the container 21 sinks Well below the pressure in the upper portions of the tank 50 and chamber 2 so that the liquid flows at a much higher speed, depending on the selected pressure differential between the gases in the tank 50 and reservoir 51. The pressure in the chamber 2 decreases so that the siphon 6 admits fresh liquid from the lower portion of the tank 50.

Prior to complete filling of the container 21, the shaft 9 is rotated again so that its eccentric portion 10 throttles the flow of liquid through the outlet 5 and finally closes the valve 4. The valve 27 remains open and the pressure in the chamber 2 decreases because the container 21 s connected with the reservoir 51. The liquid level in the chamber 2 rises to the upper end of the duct 26 and the liquid ultimately overflows into the container even though the valve 4 is closed. The inflow of liquid continues until such liquid fills the lower part of the common portion 18 of conduits 12, 13 and lifts the float valve 20 into sealing engagement with the seat 20a.

The shaft 9 is rotated again to open the valve 14 and to close the valve 15 while the valves 4 and 27 respectively remain in closed and open positions. The conduit 12 admits highly compressed gas into the common portion 18 and causes the oat valve 20 to move away from its seat 20a whereby the gas flowing into the container 21 expels the liquid upwardly through the filling tube 24 and back into the chamber 2. Such return flow of liquid continues until the gas entering from conduit 12 penetrates through the radial openings 25. The liquid in the chamber 2 returns to the level A because the pressure above such level equals the pressure in the upper portion of the tank 50. The container 21 is filled with liquid to the level of the openings 25.

In actual practice, the filling operation takes place at such a speed that the filling of the next-following container begins before the liquid in the siphon 6 has descended to the level A.

In the final step, the eccentric portion 28 of the shaft 9 closes the valve 27 to terminate the filling operation. The filled container 21 is moved downwardly whereby the centering member 23 follows such movement and the linkage 22, 22a closes the shutoff valve 19.

A very important advantage of the duct 26 is that it permits for siphoning of surplus liquid from the container 21 back into the chamber 2 of the filling head 1. Such arrangement renders it possible to operate the filling apparatus without a further reservoir wherein the gas pressure exceeds the pressure in the upper portion of the tank 50.

The centering member 23 insures that the shutoff valve 19 closes in automatic response to removal of a filled container 21 and contributes to more economical operation of the apparatus by preventing uncontrolled escape of gases.

Each of the filling heads 1, 1' constitutes a self-contained unit which can be readily attached to or separated from its support independently of the other filling heads. Such filling heads are mounted on the periphery of the support 53 to form an annulus which is located above the path of travel of the containers 21. The customary annular tank which is used in many conventional filling apparatus can be dispensed with.

Since the portion 52 of each shaft 9 extends from the respective filling head, such portions can be readily coupled to a suitable programming system to operate the valves 4, 27, 14 and 15 in a desired sequence.

A suitable conveyor having lifting means for moving containers 21 up and down into and away from sealing engagement with the nozzle 55 is well known for instance from the U.S. Patents Nos. 2,779,358, 3,047,032 and 2,666,564.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of my contribution to the art and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for filling bottles or like open ended containers with liquids, a tank having a liquid-containing lower portion and an upper portion containing a supply of compressed gas; a filling head having a chamber located at a higher elevation than said tank and being provided with an inlet and an outlet respectively located above and below the liquid level in said chamber, said outlet being connectable with the open end of a container which is to be filled with liquid; syphon means providing communication between said inlet and said lower portion of said tank; first valve means arranged to control the flow of liquid from said chamber via said outlet and having duct means connecting the interior of the container with said chamber above said liquid level; second valve means provided in said duct means; and actuating means for effecting opening and closing of said valve means in a predetermined sequence.

2. In an apparatus for filling bottles or like open-ended containers with liquids, a filling head having a chamber having a liquid-containing lower portion, a :gas-containing upper portion, an inlet and an outlet respectively located above and below the liquid level in said chamber, said outlet being connectable with the open end of a container Iwhich is to be filled with liquid; a tank located at an elevation below that of said chamber and having a liquid-containing lower portion and an upper portion containing a supply of compressed gas; a syphon connecting said lower portion of the tank with said inlet; a reservoir containing a supply of gas at a pressure smaller than that of the compressed gas in said tank; first and second conduit means respectively connecting said upper portion of said tank and said reservoir with a container Whose open end is connected with said outlet; duct means in said chamber communicating with said outlet and having an upper end above the liquid level in said chamber; a plurality of valve means for respectively controlling flow of fiuid through said outlet, said duct means and said first and second conduit means; and actuating means cooperating with said valve means for operating the same in a predetermined sequence in such a manner that liquid will flow from said chamber into said container at a speed corresponding to the difference of gas pressure in said tank and in said reservoir.

3. A structure as defined in claim 2, wherein said plurality of valve means comprise four valve members having substantially parallel axes and being each movable between an open and a closed position and including biasing means for yieldably holding each of said valve members in one of said positions, and wherein said actuating means comprises a common shaft extending transverse to said axes and having eccentric portions respectively cooperating with said valve members for moving each of the same in said predetermined sequence from said one to the other of said positions thereof during turning of said shaft.

4. A structure as defined in claim 1, further comprising a gas-filled reservoir wherein the gas pressure is less lthan in the upper portion of said tank, first and conduit means respectively connecting said upper portion and said reservoir with that container whose open end is connected with said outlet, and third and fourth valve means for respectively regulating the fiow of gas through said first and second conduit means, said actuating means comprising means for effecting opening and closing of said third and fourth valve means in a predetermined sequence.

5. A structure as defined in claim 4, wherein said conduit means have a common portion communicating with that container whose open end is connected to said outlet, and further comprising a float valve provided in said common portion and arranged to prevent penetration of liquid from such container into the conduit means upstream of said common portion.

6. A structure as defined in claim 4, wherein said conduit means have a common portion communicating with that container whose open end is connected with said outlet, and further comprising a normally closed shutoff valve provided in said common portion and operating means for opening said shutoff valve in response to connection of a container with said outlet.

7. A structure as defined in claim 4, wherein said operating means comprises a centering member arranged to establish a fiuidtight connection between said outlet and the open end of a container, said centering member being movable toward and away from said outlet and said operating means further comprising motion transmit-ting means for respectively opening and closing said shutoff valve in response to movement of said centering member toward and away from said outlet.

8. A structure as defined in claim 1, further comprising a filling tube provided in said outlet and arranged t0 extend into the interior of a container whose open end is connected with said outlet, said tube having at least one radial opening provided therein at the desired liquid level in such container.

9. A structure as dened in claim 4, wherein said tank and said reservoir contain an inert gas and wherein said liquid is a carbonated beverage.

10. A structure as dened in claim 4, wherein said filling head comprises a nozzle defining the lowermost portion of said outlet.

11. A structure as defined in claim 4, wherein said irst and second valve means are provided in said chamber.

12. A structure as dened in claim 11, wherein said actuating means comprises a shaft rotatably mounted in said tilling head and having eccentric portions for operating said valve means, a portion of said shaft extending outwardly from said filling head.

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 2/ 1948 Canada. 10/ 1961 Germany.

6/ 1964 Great Britain.

HOUSTON S. BELL, JR., Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 

